I have strolled through the beautiful Carmel Mission many times but when I visited it recently I felt as if I’d stepped through a portal and arrived in Europe. Maybe the sense of familiarity and the past was so profound because I’ve wandered the cloisters of so many ancient churches and cathedrals in Europe, particularly in France and England. But in this historic building, on a sun-drenched, spring morning with the sky wearing her best cornflower blue bonnet, the lavender blooming and the air perfumed with flowers it felt that I was no longer in Carmel, California but 5000 miles away, basking in the peaceful serenity of a place of worship, somewhere in a small European village, maybe even in Provence.

My time at the mission inspired to discover its' story. All ten year old children in California study Mission history but neither of our children attended 4th grade and I’m embarrassed to admit that until now all I knew was that the missions were established as part the colonization of California by Spanish priests and one in particular, Father Junípero Serra. I also have a personal reason to learn more. As many of you know, we’re building a house in Carmel, it's located on Serra Avenue and steps away is a memorial and statue of this esteemed man, but who was he?

Junípero Serra Memorial, Serra Avenue, Carmel

Father Junípero Serra

Junípero Serra was born Miguel José Serra Ferrer on November 24, 1713 in Petra, on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca. He was the son of peasant farmers, the 3rd of 5 children. At the age of 16, as a close follower of St. Francis of Assisi, Miguel entered the Franciscan friary and took the name Junípero. Before his ordination he spent 17 years an academic, earning his a doctorate in 1744 as a Professor of Philosophy and was regarded as a bright, articulate scholar, speaker and writer.

The statue of Father Junípero Serra in the Carmel Mission garden

In 1749, Father Junípero Serra, aged 36, responded to a call for Franciscan missionaries to the New World, he left Mallorca and after a long and difficult voyage, on December 8, 1749 he arrived at the port of Vera Cruz, Mexico. From there he walked to Mexico City, a grueling 24 day journey during which he injured his leg, an affliction that made walking difficult for him for the rest of his life. He spent the next 17 years preaching to the indigenous people of Mexico, for nine years in the rugged, mountainous Sierra Gorda region of North-Central Mexico and the following 8 years in coastal villages and mining camps.

In 1767, when King Charles III of Spain banished the Jesuits from all Spanish territories, the 14 Jesuit missions in Baja California were suddenly left unstaffed. The Franciscans were asked to take them over and Father Junípero Serra was appointed the new Superior of the region. In 1768, Jose de Gálvez, the Spanish inspector-general decided to establish presidios (military garrisons) and missions in Alta California, (present day California) as a deterrent against Russian and British rivals. The following year Father Serra asked to join an expedition to establish missions in San Diego, the Monterey Bay area, and the Santa Barbara Channel area. After another fraught journey, on June 27, 1769 Father Serra reached San Diego where he founded the first mission. In April 1770 he founded the Presidio  (military base) and 2nd mission in Monterey moving it in 1771 to its current location beside the Carmel River where it became known as The Carmel Mission (also known as San Carlos Borromeo) and became the headquarters of all mission operations in Alta California.

The location of the Carmel Mission Cross, put here by Father Junípero Serra in August 1771

There is evidence of human habitation in California dating back to over 15,000 years. When Father Serra arrived in Carmel he found only 500 people living there, the Rumsen people, spread out across 5 villages, some year round some seasonal. Showing nothing but kindness and respect, Father Serra reached out to these people to teach them about his Christian faith.

Original stone church walls and bell tower, at the Carmel Mission quarried from the Santa Lucia Mountains

From the Carmel Mission Father Serra oversaw the planning, construction, and staffing of a total of nine missions: San Diego de Alcalá (1769), San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel) (1770), San Antonio de Padua (1771), San Gabriel Arcángel (1771), San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772), San Francisco de Asis (1776), San Juan Capistrano (1776), Santa Clara de Asis (1777), and San Buenaventura (1782). He was also present at the founding of the Presidio of Santa Barbara (1782). It is estimated he travelled about 6000 miles on foot to supervise mission work and to confer the sacrament of Confirmation.

Founding of the Missions

The missions were all established near Native American settlements next to fertile agricultural land and a reliable water source. There were careful negotiations with the local Indians whose support was crucial, without it a newly built mission could be destroyed. These people were enticed to join the missions by the promise of a stable food supply and the offer of protection. If they joined, they were then expected to abide by Spanish law.

Cloisters at The Carmel Mission

Initially the Indians lived in traditional conical-shaped houses made of tree branches. They then built permanent houses made of adobe bricks close to the mission church. They were allowed to travel outside the mission to visit kin, to hunt or for trade and military purposes. Each mission was staffed by 1 or 2 Franciscan priests with Native American supervisors and with 5-7 soldiers who acted as guards and a police force. At the height of the mission period, as many as 1,500 native people lived under the jurisdiction of a mission. Over 80 different languages were spoken many of which were not understood by each tribe. To overcome the difficulties this created the missionaries composed short books about the Christian faith in native languages, younger people were taught Spanish and others learned it through their dealings with soldiers and settlers. To prevent conflict between rival Indian tribes the Padres encouraged marriage between the tribes.

Daily life in the Missions

The missions were all working farms. Cattle were raised for food and to trade hides and a variety of agricultural goods were produced, wheat, fruits, vegetables, grapes for wine and olives for oil.

Traditionally the local Indians wore little clothing. Women wore just skirts made of animal skin or woven plants and apart from ceremonial dances or special occasions men were normally naked. To the Padres, nakedness was a sign of poverty, so all who entered the mission were given a long sleeved shirt called a cotón, and a blanket, both were made of wool. Women received a woolen petticoat and men a breechclout to cover their groin area. A new set of garments was handed out annually.

Everyone had a role to play at the mission working about five hours a day during autumn and winter and up to seven hours a day during spring and summer. Sundays were for rest and religious services, in addition to special Catholic feast days which could be as many as 92 a year.

Inside the Carmel Mission Basilica

Each day began with prayers and mass, followed by breakfast, normally a corn soup called atole, still popular in Mexico today. At midday everyone would gather for prayers and lunch, normally boiled wheat, corn, peas, beans, vegetables and fruit.

In the Carmel Mission kitchenThis was followed by a nap or siesta, as was the Spanish tradition. Work then resumed until sunset when everyone gathered again for prayers and supper which would be similar to breakfast but often with beef which was widely eaten. Meals would be taken communally or in families' homes.

The Mission Kitchen at the Carmel Mission

In addition to traditional farming, specialized workers made soap, tanned leather, wove or were blacksmiths. Men were often vaquers (cowboys), or shepherds, cobblers, masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, tanners and farmhands. Women attended to washing, sewing or grinding wheat. Most work was done on a quota system, once their quota was met, the people were allowed free time.

Farm equipment used at the Carmel Mission

Indian men also often served on military expeditions and helped protect the missions. The Catholic Fathers kept records about the number of people they administered the sacraments to which sadly reveal a high mortality rate. This was often because of exposure to diseases carried by Spanish and Mexican soldiers and settlers who visited the missions in addition to the primitive nature of local medicine and lack of doctors.

The Grand Sala at the Carmel Mission where guests were entertained, the terra cotta flooring and furnishings are original

Father Serra fought the Spanish authorities for control over the missions urging them to establish an overland route to Alta California, which led to Juan Bautista de Anza establishing settlements at San Francisco in 1776 and at Los Angeles in 1781. As the number of missions grew so did Father Serra’s own political power because in addition to their religious role the missions also served political and economic purposes. The number of civilian colonists with their Indian populations kept the region within Spain’s political orbit and economically they produced all the colony’s cattle and grain.

A Padre's bedroom at the Carmel Mission

During the remaining 3 years of his life, Father Junípero Serra visited the missions from San Diego to San Francisco, travelling more than 600 miles where he confirmed all who had been baptized. During his 14 years at the California Missions Father Junípero Serra confirmed 5,309 people, he founded 9 of the total 21 missions which were eventually established along the 700 mile route from San Diego to Sonoma along the El Camino Real, (The Royal Road) named in honor of the Spanish monarchy which financed the expeditions into California in their quest for empire.

Father Junípero Serra's cell at the Carmel Mission where he died

On August 28, 1784, at the age of 70 Father Junípero Serra died at The Carmel Mission. He was buried there the next day under the sanctuary floor. It was 35 years to the day that he left Cadiz, Spain for the missions of the New World.

The remaining 12 California missions were founded after Father Serra's death. Gradually some of the Indians abandoned the missions especially after 1810 when the Spanish government stopped supplying the presidios and ordered the missions to do so instead. This greatly increased the Indians’ work load which created great resentment. The missions however were never meant to be permanent institutions. The Spanish authorities felt the Indians should leave after ten years although the missionaries believed this was not enough time for indigenous people to adapt to Hispanic ways. Nevertheless, once Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, by the mid-1830s the Franciscans had been replaced with civilian administrators and the process of secularization begun. The new administrators were unpopular with the Indians, most of the mission land was sold or distributed to the families of local ranchers or to the administrators themselves. Most Indians did not receive a land grant, and were forced to earn a living elsewhere.

The Ava Maria bell

The Ava Maria bell at the Carmel Mission was cast in Mexico in 1807 & installed in the Mission in 1820. It was removed for safe keeping by local Indians when the Mission was secularized in 1834 & was not restored to the Mission until 1925. It eventually cracked but an exact duplicate was cast in Holland in 2010. Today it hangs in its original setting on the south side of the bell tower. The wall visible here was erected in 2011 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Father Junípero Serra's birth in 1713, it was part of a campaign to preserve the historical buildings of the Carmel Mission.

Father Junípero Serra was canonized as a Saint of the Catholic Church by His Holiness Pope Francis during his official visit to the United States on September 23, 2015. In His address His Holiness Pope Francis said:

“ Junípero Serra left his native land and its way of life. He was excited about blazing trails, going forth to meet many people, learning and valuing their particular customs and ways of life. He learned how to bring to birth and nurture God’s life in the faces of everyone he met; he made them his brothers and sisters. Junípero sought to defend the dignity of the native community, to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it.”

On September 17 2017, His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited The Carmel Mission. The plaque commemorating his visit lays in the Bethlehem Chapel at the Mission where his Holiness spent time during his visit in personal prayer.

In His address about Father Junípero Serra, His Holiness Pope Francis said:

"and much to be envied are those who can give their lives for something greater than themselves in loving service to others...."

Whatever one's faith or beliefs, these profound words about Father Junípero Serrano beautifully and distinctly describe this humble man who gave his all for what he believed in.

Today the Carmel Mission is an active parish. You can learn more here.

If you'd like to visit, both the Basilica and Museum are open to the public:

Monday & Tuesday, CLOSED
Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 – 4:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 10:00 – 5:00 pm
Sunday 11:30 – 5:00 pm

Admission Rates
Adults: $13      Seniors (62+): $10      Youths (7-17): $7      Child (6 and under): FREE

The post The story of Father Junípero Serra and the Carmel Mission appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

'Home is where the heart is', or so the expression goes. My heart is somewhat fragmented, with those I love and the places I own spread across two continents. When I'm in one place, I think of the other. I'm so often torn and confused as if there's some divine rule book telling me I should choose just one, the one I should prefer and always want to be. Maybe my dilemma is tied up in the simple fact that my home is in two extraordinarily special locations. The fairytale village of Lourmarin, a hodgepodge of enchanting, creamy buildings huddled below a hillside in Provence and the sweeping white shores of Carmel, California, lined with its majestic cypress trees, part of a beautiful and dramatic coastline. 5000 miles apart, but both equally entwined within my heart.

I walk most days along the Carmel shoreline marveling at its ever changing drama and beauty. A spectacle of crashing waves curling up onto the shore, otters and sea lions disappearing into their frothy playground, pelicans and seagulls swopping and diving overhead.

It's rare that at as I stroll past this Pacific jewel I don't think of that other place, of the walks I take there and the equally mezmerising splendour of a tiny Provencal village, that so stirs my soul. In writing this post it took me a long time to select the photos, I have so many of both Carmel and Lourmarin. In either place I seem to be constantly clicking the camera shutter, trying to imprint their beauty and the emotion they evoke, hoping to ensure their image is always with me. As if I really need to do so, they're both already firmly planted in my heart.

In a few weeks I will be returning to Lourmarin. Opening our front door, where right now the cherry trees are blossoming.

And by May, when we arrive, their boughs will be bending with an abundance of fruit.

I'll step inside and doubtless a tear will fall before I unfasten the shutters and throw open the windows allowing the fresh air and warm Provençal sunlight to pour in.

And upstairs from our terrace, I'll stare across the village roof tops and vow to myself that I'll stay forever, knowing of course that I won't, but wishing that I could.

And can you blame me? Strolling down my street to a village, that makes all of our visitors gasp and comment that they feel they've just stepped into a story.

We'll stop for a coffee, having of course, purchased a baguette.

And we'll look at each other and smile, we're back, sipping coffee, and doubtless later a glass of rosé at Café Gaby where it's hard working owner, Marc, will have served countless people since we were last there. We'll breath a sigh of contentment, our memories haven't deceived us, nothing has changed, all is as we remembered it, intoxicating and perfect.

If we're lucky, our favorite local artist, Gérard Isirdi, will be seated behind us. Doubtless splashing a new canvas with the talented strokes of his paint brush, capturing another beautiful moment in time.

Just as he did one day for us, now over ten years ago.

Then we'll meander up the street passing Isirdi's Gallery, here on the left with the grey shutters.

We'll while away the moments admiring the ancient, shuttered buildings and their clay tiled roof tops, glowing golden as they bask in the sun.

A myriad of temptation will tumble out onto the streets, most of which I'll want to explore as my hand is pulled to stop me!

And on a Friday, market day, we'll be thrilled that the same band, we've always listened to and loved, will still be there, filling the air with its lively Spanish melodies.

Tall plane trees will canopy the market stalls and we'll fill our baskets with fresh tomatoes, lettuce radishes, cheese and fruit.

And of course, I'll be tempted yet again, by something gorgeous that one can only buy in Provence.

Lunch will be on back on our terrace, admiring the view.

Our daily walks in Lourmarin will take us along leafy lanes where the trees bow across the road like hands clasped in expectation.

In May there will be poppies, dancing in the breeze and splashing a vibrant red across the fields.

And I'll marvel once more at the natural light illuminating the world in a way that it only seems able to do in Provence.

We'll dine most nights at home enjoying the bounty of the local region, with the doors wide open and our hearts overflowing.

Every so often we'll spoil ourselves at one of the local restaurants knowing we'll be warmly welcomed back, eating el fresco, wondering why we ever left.

And then a family will walk by and I'll remember where I need to be and why.

Emotions will stir, I guess you can't have it all but I'm so very blessed and forever grateful that I have so very much and two such special places I'm fortunate enough to call 'home'.

The post Carmel, California and Lourmarin, Provence, the places I call home appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

You can download the Travel Guide Carmel-by-the-Sea, California  here; my suggestions for where to stay, eat and play or just read the post below!

How to get to Carmel-by-the-Sea on the Monterey Peninsular, California

HIKING and WALKS

Carmel-by-the-Sea Beach one of America’s most beautiful,bring a picnic, your dog & spend the day!

Point Lobos  is a stunning ocean front State park well worth visiting. Fabulous ocean trails with sea and bird life in abundance!

Garland Ranch Carmel Valley incredible hikes through the Santa Lucia mountains

17 Mile Drive well worth the state park entrance fee ( reimbursable if you are eating in one of the restaurants playing golf etc), one of the most stunning ocean drives in the world, passing the famous Lone Cypress & Pebble Beach golf course.

THE CARMEL MISSION

The Carmel Mission was founded in 1774, step back in time & learn California’s amazing Mission history

WINE TASTING

Explore the region’s outstanding wineries along the Carmel Valley & St Lucia Mountains
Our favourites in the Valley: Cow Girl Winery, Bernardus, Talbott Winery, to name but a few!

GOLF

The whole area is home to some of the world’s ‘must play’ golf.

The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and of course Pebble Beach.

Click on this link Monterey Golf Courses for an interactive map with details of each one

SHOPPING

Carmel-by-the-Sea lots to tempt you as you stroll down and near Ocean Avenue

The Barnyard - 2 minutes from Carmel down Highway One

The Carmel Crossroads opposite the Barnyard

Pacific Grove & Monterey

MONTEREY

Discover Monterey’s rich heritage and historical sites

Cannery Row site of the old cannery, combine a trip here with a visit to the Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium 886 Cannery Row Monterey, CA 93940 A visit to this incredible world famous, aquarium is a must for an amazing window into ocean marine life

MONTEREY CAR WEEK

The Monterey Car Week is a car lovers MUST! There are several auto events during the year but this is the ultimate one. Held annually in August, car enthusiasts from around the world gather for this motor sports spectacular!

Featuring
The Pebble Beach Concourse D’Elegance at Pebble Beach
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway 1021 Monterey-Salinas Highway (68)

Do let me know your own recommendations AND please contact me if you would like additional help!

Download the Travel Guide Carmel-by-the-Sea, California ~ ideas where to stay, eat and play!

The post Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Travel Guide appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

There are some places which are breathtakingly beautiful and no matter how many times you visit, somehow, each time its natural wonder just seeps into your soul. Carmel, just 90 minutes drive south of San Francisco, on California's Monterey Peninsular is one such place. The dramatic coastline, the cypress trees, the stunning white sandy beach, the Mission, the quaint little town and even the fog......... simply put Carmel is enchanting; one on my favourite places, a truly special place, one that I love to return to again and again.

I have walked along Carmel's Scenic Drive countless times, its magical breathtaking scenery never disappoints. There is something to make you gasp in wonder on every corner;

stunning views and ocean front properties,

where the Pacific Ocean swallows up the rocks,

to end its journey on the soft white sands of Carmel's stunning beach,

as in a timeless rhythm the ocean waves curl and crash onto the beach.

Wandering up the cypress tree lined streets

passing incredible properties, some of which have you believing you are across a different continent!

It's always pleasurable to while away some time in this charming little town,

maybe stopping for a bite in one of it many restaurants, I love this french bistro, La Bicyclette.

And then maybe stop by to soak in the serenity of The Carmel Mission

even more mystical in the early morning fog.

Should Carmel itself be veiled in a hazy mantle, just 5 miles away the Carmel Valley will be bathed in sunshine.

Wineries wait to be discovered;

I love Talbots and the Cow Girl Winery, next door to each other in Carmel Valley Village, just two of the excellent tasting rooms to choose from.

And my favourite place to stay, Carmel Valley Ranch, where you can laze away the hours by a sun drenched pool.

Is it any wonder I leave always wanting to return?

Download the Carmel-by-the-Sea PDF Travel Guide~ my suggestions where to stay, eat and play!

The post Carmel-by-the Sea appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

We all know how a plane journey can transport us to a different world in a matter of hours. I have spent the last three Saturdays, just three weeks apart, in three completely different places thanks to the miracle of flight. From the sophistication of a glamorous, world class, capital city; London, to the breathtaking beauty of the ski slopes of Lake Tahoe, to the sun drenched beaches and palm trees of Southern California.

London, from the Embankment

A '747' jet had carried me the 5000 miles home to England and my beautiful capital city of London. On a crisp February morning, under clear blue skies overhead we strolled along the Embankment admiring the view and the famous sights of this iconic city.

 Admiralty Arch by Trafalgar Square

Lake Tahoe from  Northstar, ski resort

A week later another '747' had returned me back to where we live. The skies were a deeper blue, the air was considerably colder and the view was also of water, this time of a lake not a river; from the top of the mountain it was quite breathtaking!

The corduroy runs were mostly man made but surprisingly good considering the dismal lack of precipitation. The camera pointed in one direction showed near perfect slopes for a day on skis, yet you only had to turn 180 degrees and  the reality of months of dry weather was revealed. Without the man made powder there would be no skiing whatsoever! The pine trees wore a mantel of dark green and were prematurely bursting with new growth, it seemed as if the white world of 'Narnia' had gone forever!

Yet how the world can be transformed in 12 hours by just one winter storm!

Giant caterpillar snow ploughs soon got to work to clear the roads.

And I wondered if we were completely crazy to try to return home and to brave the freeways in such blizzard conditions.

We found our way home safely and within just another week I found climbing into another plane, only this one was considerably smaller than a '747'!

A view of the wineries of The Livermore Valley, Northern California

At 3000 feet, being navigated south, as the small, single engine plane lurched and bounced through the turbulence I did wonder whether sitting in a commercial plane might be preferable!

Within an hour we had sped across the Central Valley and were high above the Grapevine where the '5' Freeway wound its way through the hills down into the Los Angeles Basin.

Minutes later the sprawl of Los Angeles was below us.

Famous landmarks were clearly visible.

 'The Rose Bowl', Pasadena

On the ground at Orange County's John Wayne Airport, the jets arrived next to us.

When we arrived to return home our 'Vans RV6A' looked very tiny parked up next to a Gulfstream G5 jet!!

Southwest Airlines taxied ahead of us,

we had to wait for them to take off first, it was quite impressive!

The Los Angeles Hills from 9000 feet

Approaching Mt Diablo

Livermore Airport on descent

the miracle of flight!

The post Three different worlds on three different Saturdays! appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

Walking by the ocean wherever you are in the world always has a special allure, no more so than at Point Lobos a few minutes south of Carmel, 24 miles north of Big Sur, California. Small wonder that the famed Tasmanian landscape artist Francis McComas (1875-1938) made this bold claim about the area when he declared it "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world". Over 100 miles of jagged, soaring cliffs covered in pines and cypress, sometimes barely visible through the wintery haze, where the sea crashes relentlessly up against the rugged coast line; a stunningly spectacular spot. Point Lobos is a protected wildlife sanctuary where the air is peppered with bird song, twittering sparrow families who hop amongst the heather and gorse minding their own business as high above them the shrill shrieking of their seabird cousins, gulls, cormorants and pelicans pierce the otherwise peaceful setting. Huddled in small groups, like old men catching up on the week's gossip, a wide assortment of seabirds strut and hop about on rocky outcrops, every so often fearlessly and effortlessly descending into the forbidding, cascading water to seek their daily nourishment. To be so close to nature its beauty, its power, its mystery its timelessness, if only trees could talk, what shared secrets could they tell us; early explorers, whalers, Hollywood movie stars all from long ago, I wonder...........

Looking back along the sanctuary's southern pathway


Mother seals resting in the protection of a small cove with their pups


Finger like outlets down towards Big Sur

Bird Island, the local gathering point, feathers and beaks required....


Pelicans and cormorants assessing the latest fishing stocks

A lone pelican replete after breakfast

Caves and coves created by the timeless pounding of the ocean

A lone pine about to be decorated by the birds as their Christmas tree

Looking towards the Highlands Inn at Point Lobos; mysterious, magical, beautiful, utterly timeless........

Download the Carmel-by-the-Sea PDF Travel Guide~ my suggestions where to stay, eat and play!

The post Point Lobos: "the greatest meeting of land & water in the world" appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

Towards the end of the year when day light is fading, the air is peppered with a mystical magic. A feint, almost cobweb like haze seems to dim even the sun's strongest rays. The days are shorter, the nights are crisp and occasionally in the morning everything is sprinkled with a sugar icing dusting of frost. Even by the coastline of California, despite the lingering warmth of the sun, the milky quality of the light still makes it feel like winter. As Christmas approaches I yearn for cooler days, the chance to wrap up in soft wool, drag on my boots and big coat to be later snuggled up by a fire after returning home, my cheeks stinging with the cold. Of course, I don't want all the other accoutrements of winter, relentless driving rain or fog and slush making hazardous driving conditions or ventures outdoors miserable. But at Christmas time what's wrong with wanting the wintery storybook? This week, watching the sun sink low over the sand dunes as it disappeared into the rolling, frothing waves of the Pacific Ocean the beauty and serenity all around felt like it had been specifically created just for this time of year, the week before Christmas. The sky was momentarily set on fire, crimsons and reds were splashed by some giant hidden paintbrush across the horizon. Surrounded by heathers and pines and the smell of the sea whilst listening to the haunting song of the Scottish bagpipes it felt that I was suddenly in that far off isle where crunching through the snow in sturdy boots wrapped in tweeds and furs would be a necessity. A log fire and traditional home cooked fare would be all part of winter made even more magical at Christmas.

 
Passing the time of day at the end of a brisk walk by the Pacific Ocean at Spanish Bay, by the links at Spanish Bay

Day light begins to fade as the sky is brushed with a pale pink haze

The haunting melody of the bagpipes drifts across the heathers. The Scottish bagpipes at The Inn at Spanish Bay bidding farewell to the day passed

The sky aglow below the relentless crashing surf

The horizon slowly turns to flame

as the moon begins to rise

and the silhouette of the Cypress trees is set on fire as day light finally fades

A spectacle of nature, amongst the wondrous beauty that is The 17 Mile Drive, Carmel, California.......

Download the Carmel-by-the-Sea PDF Travel Guide~ my suggestions where to stay, eat and play!

The post 'All is still, all is quiet'... just the haunting song of bagpipes, 17 mile Drive, Carmel appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

'Twas the weeks before Christmas Under resplendent palm trees, the shopping was complete, wrapped & ribboned, such exciting treats!

Greenery had been foraged, bows had been tied,

the wreaths had been hung, fresh and alive!

Christmas elves had been hard at work; from their many chores they had not shirked.

The tree was trimmed, the was house 'greened',  the puddings stirred and now all steamed.
Delia's mincemeat was carefully prepared, as sounds of choristers crept up the stairs.

I packed my bags to escape somewhere fun, needing a break before the festivities begun. 

Carmel was dressed in all things bright, holly, flowers and twinkling lights at night.

As we walked the beach, beautiful as ever, we could hardly believe the summer like weather, it was 78 degrees!

The views were still stunning, like you'd expect them to be, as the waves rolled and crashed from deep in the sea.

We gasped and sighed at the beauty all around as we listened to birdsong high off the ground.

Not a sign of Saint Nick, no reindeers or sleigh but the magic in the air meant he was on his way.............
Download the Travel Guide Carmel-by-the-Sea, California ~ ideas where to stay, eat and play!

The post "twas the week before Christmas...." in Carmel, California (with my apologies!) appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

Cornflower blue skies, freshly burst leaves swaying gently on their branches in the afternoon breeze, a fence just begging to be climbed over, into a sweeping, fragrant, carpet of lavender.
Mother Nature has spun her magic yet again, transforming rows of neatly groomed, rounded clumps which in the Luberon Valley, Provence, in March, looked like rows of very well behaved hedgehogs, all quite immobile, forbidden to move, as if frozen by the camera lense.

Warmed by the sun and the spring rains, new life has burst forth. A profusion of soft sage green spindles reach upwards, delicate petals cluster randomly up the stems into tiny flowers which perfume the air with their distinct and much cherished lavender fragrance. Clouds of bees hum gently to themselves as they busy themselves gathering nectar for their honey, the cycle continues as Mother Nature intended, everything ordered in her timely sequence.

Nearby a dazzling carpet of brilliant yellow sunflowers nod their heads contentedly, basking in the summer warmth. I love sunflowers which always seem to me to be such symbols of joy and happiness. Maybe it is the bright sunshine yellow of their petals and their round centers which always appear to be smiling up at you. Just as field after field of these cheerful beauties brighten the sometimes endless journey through France from Calais to Provence, a small, tied bundle of sunflowers brings nothing but a golden sunshine beauty to your kitchen table or living room.

Sunflowers and lavender together must be the two most quintessential flowers of Provence. When thinking of a typical Provencal basket, of the produce grown and gathered in this heavenly region, of all the many fruits and vegetables, the olives and honey, the cheese and wine, there is nothing quite so defining to me as these two totally contrasting but wonderfully complimenting two, sunflowers and lavender.

And just as in summer in Provence, where they grow in profusion, so too do they spread their fragrant beauty all over the fields of California. Similar to the Provencal Marché, every local Californian Farmer's Market tempts us with organic produce and Provencal delights like honey and olives. True, somethings are not for sale here, linens and tablecloths and spit roast chickens for instance, the ambience is also quite different. There are no gently cobbled streets or brightly shuttered, ancient buildings and the chatter all around is not 'Français' or charming in that 'oh so French way', (despite the irritated 'poofs' .............) that is all unique and special to Provence, to France. This is California, but it is still beguiling and beautiful, full of people who have toiled and tended the land and harvested Mother Nature's bounty of locally grown produce and baskets of hand grown flowers.
Roses

Dazzling pink cosmos ...........of the flower variety

and starry eyed buttercup yellows

summer flowers, so fragrant and resplendent at this time of year, wherever you happen to be!

Download the Travel Guide Carmel-by-the-Sea, California ~ ideas where to stay, eat and play!

The post Summer flowers of Provence ........ in California appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

The 17 Mile Drive, which winds its way beside one of California's most stunning stretches of coastline, from Pacific Grove to Carmel-by-the-Sea, has to be one of the most breathtakingly spectacular natural spots in the world. The foaming Pacific Ocean sweeps in its curling breakers, in a seemingly endless stream of white crested rollers which crash onto the sandy outcrops or swirl up against the rocks. The air is heavily perfumed with sea water and the fragrance of pines and cypress. Overhead a symphony of screeching bird life hovers in the thermals. The yellows, greens and pinks of the coastal foliage splash their colour along the shoreline and on a day when the world is dazzled by the sun's brilliance under a periwinkle sky, I doubt there could there be a more beautifully dramatic spot.

We explored this piece of heaven on earth on our bicycles, soaking in its beguiling atmosphere as we furiously pedaled up and over the slopes gasping on every corner, not for breath but in wonder at nature's magnificence.

There is a mesmerizing allure about watching the waves as they rise up out of the ocean seemingly growing in stature and power as they curl forward in a never ending powerful procession.

Some how you can never quite be prepared for the view of the 200 year old world famous Lone Cypress Tree which steals your breath away so swiftly you have to stop and simply marvel. The curving headland fades behind in the background as puffs of low cloud hang to it mysteriously. From when this spot was first discovered in 1542, by the exploreer Cabrillo, people have wondered at different times of the year whether they were seeing clouds or snow. Cabrillo called this point Cabo de Nieve, Cape of Snow to describe the mostly white landscape he saw before him.

In 1774, Tomas de Pena, the founder of many of California's beautiful Missions, renamed this most westerly point on the Monterey Peninsular 'La Punta de Cipreses', Cypress Point, as it is still named today.

Looking out beyond the Lone Cypress at the vastness of the Pacific Ocean the endless rolling blue of water stretches far into the horizon until it seems to meet up with the sky.

The wonders of the micro climates of this area never fail to surprise. On our return merely 30 minutes later the very same stretch of coastline is now shrouded in a blanket of fog.

A ghostly quality has descended and it is hard to believe that you haven't somehow stepped into a different day or even a different season. The world has been transformed as a swirling, chilling mist closes around us. Somehow it just adds to the wonder and mystery of this area, the stunning 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsular in California.

Download the Carmel-by-the-Sea PDF Travel Guide~ my suggestions where to stay, eat and play!

The post The 17 Mile Drive, a piece of heaven on earth appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.